The presidency faced backlash after deleting a post announcing Vice President Kashim Shettima’s trip to Kogi State to welcome political defectors shortly after 25 schoolgirls were abducted in Kebbi.
The presidency on Monday deleted a post on X announcing that President Bola Tinubu sent Vice President Kashim Shettima to Kogi State to celebrate political decampees, according to a report from PEOPLES GAZETTE. The post disappeared amid rising public anger following the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi earlier in the day.
The deleted statement, issued by Mr Shettima’s spokesperson, Stanley Nkwocha, said the vice president arrived in Kogi “on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu” alongside several All Progressives Congress leaders to welcome defecting politicians. It added that they would join Governor Usman Ododo “in welcoming numerous political decampees to the APC fold.”
The post was taken down after social media uproar, with Nigerians criticising the timing of the political event. An X user, @wai_ay53320, wrote: “Can you believe it? Twenty-five girls abducted, and minutes later, Tinubu sends Shettima to welcome political decampees in Kogi.” Others accused the government of lacking empathy.
Police said armed bandits stormed Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, firing sporadically before abducting 25 students. One person was killed and another injured during the attack.
Mr Tinubu, through Information Minister Mohammed Idris, vowed to rescue the girls. The incident comes more than a decade after the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls abduction.